# family threatened by calls on cell phones **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419 "2007-06-26T00:56:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/1 "2007-06-26T00:56:10Z")
No way can I think of a title that really explains [this](http://www.thenewstribune.com/front/topphoto/story/91460.html). I looked it up on [snopes.com](http://snopes.com), but all they have is a link to the original story. Pretty darn freaky, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/2 "2007-06-26T01:12:42Z")
It is interesting that the incidents seem to be centered around two teen girls. IIRC a lot of instances of so-called poltergeists are centered around young girls. I believe many of them turn out to be hoaxes perpetrated by the girls themselves. My WAG? The girls are doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/3 "2007-06-27T20:56:21Z")
The Kuykendalls reportedly have not been the target of any weird activity since the story ran last week but the Prices and the McKays are still being harrased. Whoever is doing it is making use of a little known feature: remotely activating the phone’s mike. The FBI talked about trying this with Mob phones a while back. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/4 "2007-06-27T21:03:57Z")
Here’s what I don’t get: Why don’t they just get rid of their phones? Cell phones are a luxury and a timesaver, but if you have or can get a land line, you don’t _need_ a cell phone. Either the girls are doing it themselves, or someone is using obscure cell phone technology to harrass the families. Either way: Get rid of the phones. Don’t buy new ones, just use land lines. End of problem. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/5 "2007-06-27T21:08:54Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] Here’s what I don’t get: Why don’t they just get rid of their phones? Cell phones are a luxury and a timesaver, but if you have or can get a land line, you don’t _need_ a cell phone. [/QUOTE] It may not be that simple. From the article (bolding mine): > [@](#): > > Price and Kuykendall have given the callers a name: “Restricted.” That’s the word that shows up on their caller ID windows: **on the land lines at home** , and on every one of their cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/6 "2007-06-27T21:19:07Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] It may not be that simple. [/QUOTE] Except I think it _is_ that simple. Calls to a land line can be traced by the phone company. It appears the vast majority of the harrassment has been via the cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/7 "2007-06-27T21:21:22Z")
Yep, this pretty much screams “Inside Job” to me. As **Laughing Lagomorph** said, I’d hold anything the girls said with deep suspicion. I’d take their phones away, then make some sort of change without telling them, and see what happens. ETA: I used to spend a lot of time in a lab that contained human skeletons. Weird things started happening (bones moving around after hours and so on), and some of the undergrads started creeping themselves out. We tried to figure out how someone was breaking in. Turns out it was the person who reported the incidents in the first place. And they had a key. And they let themselves in at night. It was so damn obvious in retrospect. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/8 "2007-06-27T21:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] It may not be that simple. From the article (bolding mine): [/QUOTE] Just a questions. Is remotely turning on cell phones a generally available feature? The article said, while at the police station, one girl’s and her mother’s phones were sitting on the table, in front of them. The daughter’s phone turned on and a text message was sent to the mother’s phone. Even if somebody copied their phone account (like on _The Wire_) and made calls, sent messages, etc., how could they turn on the phone itself? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/9 "2007-06-27T21:47:56Z")
Yahh, I call inside job too. That business about the cellphones “turning themselves on,” if it even happened, doesn’t strike me as an increadible feat either, given my limited knowledge of technology. Aren’t cellphones sorta just little computers and computers can turn themselves on, no? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/10 "2007-06-27T22:16:55Z")
[QUOTE=PoorYorick] Yep, this pretty much screams “Inside Job” to me. As **Laughing Lagomorph** said, I’d hold anything the girls said with deep suspicion. I’d take their phones away, then make some sort of change without telling them, and see what happens. [/QUOTE] From the story: > [@](#): > > “I’m warning you,” one guttural message says. “Don’t send them to school. If you do, say goodbye.” No school? How nice. I bet not one message said “Don’t send them shopping at the mall”. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/11 "2007-06-27T23:15:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Price and Kuykendall have given the callers a name: “Restricted.” That’s the word that shows up on their caller ID windows: on the land lines at home, and on every one of their cell phones. I’m not sure what’s special about this. It’s what happens when anyone blocks their caller ID before dialing your number. Set the land line to block all calls with restricted caller ID. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/12 "2007-06-27T23:30:34Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] Just a questions. Is remotely turning on cell phones a generally available feature? The article said, while at the police station, one girl’s and her mother’s phones were sitting on the table, in front of them. The daughter’s phone turned on and a text message was sent to the mother’s phone. Even if somebody copied their phone account (like on _The Wire_) and made calls, sent messages, etc., how could they turn on the phone itself? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure if the phone was actually turned on, it could have been receiving text messages while off. ETA: Oh, _sending_ messages. Hmm…sending text messages normally requires someone to be holding the phone to tap out the text. > [@Operation Ripper](#): > > Yahh, I call inside job too. That business about the cellphones “turning themselves on,” if it even happened, doesn’t strike me as an increadible feat either, given my limited knowledge of technology. Aren’t cellphones sorta just little computers and computers can turn themselves on, no? How many computers can turn themselves on while not connected to any power source? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/13 "2007-06-28T00:34:42Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] How many computers can turn themselves on while not connected to any power source? [/QUOTE] Every one with a battery perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/14 "2007-06-28T00:41:23Z")
deleted. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/15 "2007-06-28T00:42:03Z")
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher] I’m not sure if the phone was actually turned on, it could have been receiving text messages while off. ETA: Oh, _sending_ messages. Hmm…sending text messages normally requires someone to be holding the phone to tap out the text.How many computers can turn themselves on while not connected to any power source? [/QUOTE] I misspoke before. The two were at the school, with a police office present, but the phone was off and then on: "McKay, a teacher in the Peninsula School District, said she and Taylor recently explained the threats to the principal at Gig Harbor High School, which Taylor attends. A Gig Harbor police officer sat in on the conversation, she said. While the four people talked, Taylor’s and Andrea’s phones, which were switched off, sat on a table. While mother and daughter spoke, Taylor’s phone switched on and sent a text message to her mother’s phone, Andrea said." But, like I said, technology may be available to copy the account and make calls, send messages, etc., but how was the phone turned on? I’m sure there’ll turn out to be a reasonable, “hoax-type” explanation for all of this, but I’m curious about the phone being turned on. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/16 "2007-06-28T00:47:06Z")
People, there is no such thing as MAGIC, GHOSTS, etc. Come on. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/17 "2007-06-28T01:13:08Z")
Q: Could these phones have been cloned/hacked? I can’t tell who’s in on it, but all the calls are going through one of the girls accounts. I second stripping the household of all cellphones, beepers, wifi-PDAs. Either the harasment will stop of the culprits will fess up or both. The downside is that without all those distractions, the girls may study more and get better grades. You’ll drink that milk & Like it too! Myaaah!!! Now get off my lawn afore I squirt you pesky kids with the hose… ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/18 "2007-06-28T01:23:15Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] People, there is no such thing as MAGIC, GHOSTS, etc. Come on. [/QUOTE] Who said there was? Most of the people who have responded have speculated that there is a reasonable technical explanation for the phone hijacking. I’m not expert enough to say for sure, but it ceertainly sounds as though someone has managed to make their own phone look to the system like one of the families’ cell phones. Other than that, I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/19 "2007-06-28T01:31:31Z")
[QUOTE=Operation Ripper] > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > How many computers can turn themselves on while not connected to any power source? Every one with a battery perhaps? [/QUOTE] “Not connected to _any_ power source” includes batteries. Did you miss where they say they removed the batteries from their phones but it didn’t do any good? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419/20 "2007-06-28T01:34:40Z")
Is there any kind of a feature (on any phone) that if you set an alarm (or some kind of reminder) and the phone is off during that time, that it will power up? If that’s possible, here’s the scenario I could see Set an alarm on mom’s phone for 4:00pm. Turn mom’s phone off Send a text message from Taylors phone. Set Taylors phone for 4:00pm Meet with police at 3:50. Talk for 10 minutes At 4:00 the two phones power up Once powered up, Mom’s phone will receive the text message that’s been sitting on the network the whole time. It will show that it was from Taylors phone, and Taylors phone message history will reflect this. If you don’t notice the timestamps, it will appear to do what they said it will do. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-threatened-by-calls-on-cell-phones/409419.md?page=2)